1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to electronic communication networks and more particularly to an extended bandwidth HomePNA system compatible with HomePNA 2.0.
2. Description of the Background Art
One type of electronic communication network is described in the HomePhoneline Networking Alliance (HomePNA) 2.0 version 2.02.7 specification, which is hereby incorporated by reference. HomePNA 2.0 specifies data rates from 1 Million bits per second (Mbps) to 32 Million bits per second (Mbps), where a transmitted signal occupies a 6 MHz wide spectrum centered at a carrier frequency of 7 MHz. Although the specified data rates have a maximum of 32 Mbps, typical consumer HomePNA devices do not achieve data rates above 16 Mbps. This reduction in data rates is due to cost constraints in designing and manufacturing consumer HomePNA devices, the electrical characteristics of typical home telephone network wiring, and interference caused by the presence of Amateur Radio signals at frequencies of 4, 7, 10, and 14 MHz.
To achieve data rates above 16 Mbps, the baud rate of a HomePNA 2.0 transmitter must increase from 2 Million symbols per second (Mbaud) to 4 Million symbols per second (Mbaud). In a HomePNA 2.0 system, a doubling of the baud rate (2 Mbaud to 4 Mbaud) does not typically result in a doubling of the data rate. Often a doubling of the baud rate results in a decrease in the data rate.
For many data transfers, a data rate of 16 Mbps provides adequate performance. However, other types of data transfers, for example real-time video transfers (i.e., video-on-demand), require data rates higher than 16 Mbps to provide adequate performance. Thus, a HomePNA 2.0 communication system would not be suitable for data transfers that require data rates higher than 16 Mbps. And yet HomePNA-based networks remain a practical and economical solution for most consumers, since a HomePNA network uses existing telephone wiring in a home or office to connect multiple end user devices.